Looks like the Grand Pkwy will be completed (Houston, Austin: construction, to live)

[westres1]

This is copied and pasted from the Chronicle article about worst stimulus projects one of which is the Grand Pkwy:

Among examples of abusive spending are four in Texas, including one that has broad bipartisan support in Houston.
Here are Coburn's Texas "worsts," accompanied by the senator's commentary:
1. Texas Department of Transportation plans to spend $181 million on a new road opposed by local environmentalists. Grand Parkway outside of Houston has caused controversy among local residents upset that a new road would devastate Katy Prairie, the last vestige of a large undeveloped green space.
The highway will commence the construction of a fourth ring-road around Houston and encourage the urban sprawl opposed by the Obama Administration by enabling the construction of a new development called Bridgeland.


I dont think we need another ring around Houston but if we continue to grow I guess we will have to have it or face more gridlock.
Does anyone know if it will be a toll at some point?

[EasilyAmused]

I wonder if they'll build another turtle crossing tunnel.

[N. Buck]

SWEET!!! We will become a bullseye! Maybe staying in Philly isn't so bad after all . . . no I take that back.

[tstone]

99 from I-10 to 146 wayyy out east is going to be a toll road if it isn't already. It is a desolate and unnecessary road right now but since the DPS started turning that highway into a revenue generator for Chambers County, I will use some other road.

[Mr. Football]

Build it.

[TexasTheKid]

Building it or not building it won't stop or necessarily promote the outgrowth of the 'burbs. People will live where there want to live based on what they desire and what they can afford. Not building the road won't stop developers from building out there. Instead, it'll just cause them to build some shoddy resemblance of infrastructure that the state/city/county will ultimately have to replace (for possibly even more money) eventually anyhow. I hope they do make it a toll road in order to slow the development growth, but there's no way it can be stopped entirely. This city is growning, and it's not likely to stop anytime soon. It's better to be prepared for that growth rather than to find ourselves like Austin, with an infrastructure incapable of supporting the population.

[Over]

I'm all for it...

[Mom2Feebs]

If people wanted the Katy Prairie to be saved, they should have made it a state park.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by TexasTheKid

Building it or not building it won't stop or necessarily promote the outgrowth of the 'burbs. People will live where there want to live based on what they desire and what they can afford. Not building the road won't stop developers from building out there. Instead, it'll just cause them to build some shoddy resemblance of infrastructure that the state/city/county will ultimately have to replace (for possibly even more money) eventually anyhow. I hope they do make it a toll road in order to slow the development growth, but there's no way it can be stopped entirely. This city is growning, and it's not likely to stop anytime soon. It's better to be prepared for that growth rather than to find ourselves like Austin, with an infrastructure incapable of supporting the population.

Exactly. Not building it will cause further growth along I10 and 290 and in between. Ring roads (610 and BW8) cause growth to be more concentric instead of just outwards. Houston is going to continue to grow outwards, this section of the Grandway Parkway will act to contain the sprawl. Finally, the notion this is destroying green space is a little bit dishonest as most of the original katy prairie was used for agricultural in the early and mid 20th century.

A compromise would be setting aside a portion of land similar to Addicks and Barkers Reservoir in order to actually create real green space and flood management.

[txstate]

Another circle around Houston brilliant, The G parkway is actually useful especially from Sugar Land to Katy extend it to 290 and I will be ok.